Wasn't as fast as last night. I choked on water with 10 metres to go so I was a bit disappointed, but at least I held on for a bronze.

Alicia Coutts

After the race, Coutts said she was glad to secure a medal after a bad start to the race.

"I'm happy with a medal but disappointed with the swim," she told Channel Nine.

"Wasn't as fast as last night. I choked on water with 10 metres to go so I was a bit disappointed, but at least I held on for a bronze.

"I just know I got a mouthful of water and I double-breathed, but luckily it was at the end; if it was after 50 I would have had to stop."

New world-record holder Vollmer, who famously carries a defibrillator with her at every race after being diagnosed with a severe heart condition as a teenager, was understandably ecstatic with her performance.

"I feel so incredible right now. The race felt great, I didn't know if I'd done it or not, it took a while to see the time, it was just even more than I could have expected," she said.

Swimming is a huge part of who I am and my life and what I like to do. I cant imagine my life without it.

USA's Dana Vollmer

"I had a really bad finish, it was the one thing I was focussing on too, I definitely felt like I could go faster, which is really exciting.

"Swimming is a huge part of who I am and my life and what I like to do. I cant imagine my life without it."

Jones qualifies

Jones, who said earlier in the day she has been motivated by questions surrounding her fitness, qualified fifth fastest for the women's 100m breaststroke final after finishing third in her heat.

Jones's semi was dominated by Lithuania's 15-year-old Ruta Meilutyte, who finished with a freakish time of 1:05.21, ahead of Denmark's Rikke Pedersen.

Meilutyte, Pedersen and Jones (1:06.81) led the field after the first 50m, but it was immediately apparent that the young Lithuanian had the race in the bag as she stretched her lead to a body-length after 70m.

Jones briefly flirted with second place before fading slightly to let Pedersen in to second spot.

"I've had my critics along the way but I'm just so excited to be here," Jones said after the race.

"I'd have to say I love a bit of pressure. It was nice to be able to see them in the second semi."

The women's 400m freestyle final proved a battle of the middle lanes in which France's Camille Muffat triumphed over America's Alisson Schmitt, leading from first to last in an Olympic record time of 4:01.45.

Great Britain's Rebecca Adlington came in third with 4:03.01 to capture the hosts' second medal of the Games.